River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-09-01

kind letters replete with affectio
and artless advice. but had received n
answers to them. the workman havin
probably removed to some other village
Since the campaign had opened tn
little soldier, who would not hav
flinched in the presence of a fOreig
enemy. was a prey to the horrid fea
that some day he might unwittingl
tire upon that brother, the idol of hi
affections. 1t was this thought whic
made him 30 anxious and kept hin
away from his comrades during tn
hours Of rest. which put an end to hi
usual childish gayety, and which ha'
caused him to stand so motionlesS il
contemplating that distant conflagra
ton, listening TO the indefinite noise
borne along by the wind, and asking
himself. with an anguish which SCENE,
ready to choke him. whether hi
brother would bethere.
The soldiers had started of, quicken
ing their step. For a moment th'
ranks were thrown into disorder by
| that black mud which at times formed
real pools in the middle of the way
compelling them To pass around it il
a single file. along its border. for ;
hundred metres or 50. The road would
then be leading over the top of one o
these high slopes. planted with young
| trees to keep the earth from washing
away altogether.
When the line was reformed John
was missing His name was called, but
he did not answer. The men began
/ whispering To each other; some knew
/ the uneasiness of the young soldier,
aud Immediately supposed that he had
taken to flight so as not to he compelled
To lire upon the wOrkmen.
The sub-lieutenant swOre furiOuslv on
account of this deSertion: but il was no
time To think of pursuing the runaway.
In the darkness hiding was 50 easy that
it would be losing time, besides the plat
Don was in great hurry to reach the
glas>works.
After calling him once again, the
soldiers resumed their march, and soon
the sound of their footsteps was the
only noise breaking the stiffness of
the night.
The young soldier had not deserted
While his companions were calling him
he was living unconscious at the foot of
the deelivity across the top of which
the highway ran.
John was thunderstruck when. on
regaining his senses. he found himself
LAYING there. benumbed and covered
with mud. How had he slipped? How
had he rolled down there.
He listened, but heard no sound.
His comrades must not have seen him
fall.
He remembered that he had been a
little way, behind the others. and reflected
that in the face Of 50 binding a rain it
was quite possible that his fall might
have passed unnoticed.
tie tried to GET up but an atrocious
pain seemed to pin him to the earth.
His left leg was like bar of lead. and
at every motion il caused him to cry
cut aloud.
Then he got frightened on thinking
that he was wounded and all alone in
that black country. Were they going
to abandon him there?
He had raised himself upon one
elbow. but let himself fall back heavily.
His shake had caught on to something
during his fall, leaving him bareheaded
to the cold rain, which drenched his
short curly fair hair, of which he was
so proud. Poor John, Who would
have recognized III the unfortunate be-
ing stretched ut fun length in the mud
the dainty little soldier. always 50 taste
fully primped mp, and who invariably
caught the ewes Of all the women on
the promenade
He suffered 50 atrOciously that he did
not have courage enough to examine
himself and try to find out the extent of
his injury. His whole leg felt as if it
had been ground up in a mill And still,
it might not be 20 serious. He remem-
bered that. once upon a time. he had
felt that same feeling of general sore
ness, caused By a violent blow from a
stick II might not amount to anything,
and vet he could not remain there, lying
in the mud and water, shivering with
cold. He would eventually 90 To sleep.
and the next morning they would find
him there. dead What be found there,
ia the mud, like a dead dog? Cost
what it may he had to get back to the
road and wait till some one came along.
In short. it was not such great under
taking. only ten metres to 90.
What a torture those ten metres were
TO him. a with the aid of trees, roots.
and rocks. dragging his lifeless Leg
along. he tried to get up to the road at
the top of the slope. Twenty times he
came near giving up; twenty times he
was on the point of lying where he was
and waitin@-eveu for death, But his
youth rebelled against the idea; love of
life seemed to urge him on, and at
length he reached the road. His strength
was failing fast. and all he could hope
for now was that somebody might come
along before it was too late
Time dragged on so heavily for the
wretched man that seconds seemed 10
him eternities.
Fever kept him awake, his feet were
frozen. his head as if on fire, all his
body shaking with a shiver which
caused insufferable twitches to run
through his leg. He no longer had
strength enough to CRY out, and he
could only give vent to his sufferings in
low means
All Of a sudden. while under the in
fiuence Of a kind Of nightmare, he heard
voices singing He listened. II was
salvation. il was life. because they were
coming his way. q. but how slowly
they seemed 10 walk At last, he could
distinguish in the darkness the forms of
live men. walking arm in arm. When
within a few steps of where John lay.
they stopped singing. So much the
better; they would hear him call.
When he saw them quite near, he cried
out.
Help! Help
The men stopped.
Help cried he again.
The a>tonished men went up to him.
and one of them. noticing his uniform.
exclaimed. Hello, it i one of those
soldier hounds that has got his dose. -
Then another. who carried a pickax.
cried out. We'll. lets finish him.
With these words he raised the tool.
On hearing the well-known voice
John had cried out wildly, Peter"
The pickax had fallen, however.
The soldiers exclamation had caused
the blow to deviate; nevertheless the
point Of the pickaN struck the helpless